SakuraxSasuke is a pairing that always made me feel sick for reasons I both can and cannot explain. Something about them is so unaesthetically pleasing? He never loved her the way she wanted him to anyway? He's too fucked up to want the normal things she does? The fans are as scary and retarded in their delusions its canon as NarutoxHinata (it's
HinataxNaruto--he's never thought of her that way in canon, she's the one pining)? Whatever the reason, this ship always makes me want to run screaming in the other direction.
But 1) I love Sakura.
2) Her feelings toward Sasuke are an unavoidable piece of her and her character development.
So who gives a fig of what I think, it's canon--ONWARD, it's a Sakura (+Sasuke) Mix
Warning! Manga spoilers abound.
( ONWARD! )
"All I want, Sasuke-kun, is for you to acknowledge me."
Curious by Holly Brook Are laughing at my mind again I think that I think too hard And I don't give enough credit to my heartNeedless to say, Sakura didn't win any hearts over in the beginning
thinking Sasuke was "cool" for wanting to kill someone. ^^; Her score sort of worsened when she suggested Sasuke give up on the bell test so she could be with him.
But she's TWELVE/THIRTEEN. And omg, HUMAN. Give her a break.
In My Head by Anna NalickYou are a god and whatever I that I want you to beAnd I wonder if truly you areNearly as beautiful as I believe(this make-believe will get me through another lonely night)
(
Mediafire song upload link)
Poor thing, she's so insecure and I love it. Sakura assumes so much of Sasuke, and Naruto unfortunately--I think she hated Naruto the way she did because he was so much like herself.
Coin Operated Boy by the Dresden DollsI'd wrap my arms around him and pretendI will never let him goAnd then I'll never be aloneNoAnd I'll never be aloneNo And I'll never be aloneNo!(
Mediafire song upload link)
The more Sasuke
spirals out of
control ,
the more desperate Sakura becomes. I pitied her, I really did, because she really thought "the power of love" could make a difference in a lonely, desperate-in-a-different-way boy she could never understand. And it's rather ominous since this song quite literally ends in tears.
I don't see WHERE she brings out his humanity in part one (she's stronger in part two, so who knows now? :3). The degrees of panic that enter Sakura's psyche when she hugs Sasuke, all of it gets more desperate and hysterical and still Sasuke doesn't react much. Something is not working, they do not emotionally connect mutually.
He was ready to kill for her, but really...that was largely from the
psychotic break #1 cursed seal to try out his new power. He tells her Naruto saved her, and then goes to think about power again. He IS ready to die for both Naruto and Sakura against Gaara, but that ends badly when he is shown he can't, and the poor girl doesn't realize it.
I wanted so badly that she could have been spared from his temper, but at the same time it was exactly what she needed to know: the Sasuke she wanted to be real is not going to be so for a long, long time, if ever.
Volcano by Damien RiceWhat I am to you Is not realWhat I am to you Is not what you mean to me(Mediafire:
http://www.mediafire.com/?8xxr0mmnxyz )
Pretty much
the only time Sasuke acknowledges her directly . It hurts so much because she's so hysterical, she's scared--this said again to me she needs him to represent something to her, because without him there's no Team Seven and there's no measuring stick for her to realize if she's useful or not. She needs approval, and he's never going to give it to her.
"Always so cold...won't you ever speak a word to me?"I wish Sakura's mother had made an appearance, that instead of waking up in the morning she'd gone home and been given a big hug and a talk about broken hearts. And allowed to cry some more. Just one panel, Kishi, to let me know she gets normal support and comfort from
somewhere. :( But alas, this only pushes my belief Sakura and her parents don't get along, are divorced, and isn't as normal as everyone thinks.
It's Only Love by Heather Nova There's a part of you I'm trying to reach Still a part I don't know Tell me, is devotion a gift or a thief? Do you wish I'd let go?
"Don't leave! I swear if you do I'll scream!" Sasuke probably didn't mean to be as cruel as he was, but
he was impatient and showed no reactions that showed her "annoying" declarations affected him at all. (The
"I love you" was not romantic, translated it means "what you make me feel is so painful it goes to my heart"...and no, the Japanese connotation is again not romantic (
heronite's essay), and I like it this way that Sakura knows how twisted it is to chase after him, be powerless, and still want him to stay; it gives her character more credit IMO...and I love dark relationships. *shot*).
And despite the look on her face earlier when Naruto tried to comfort her, I don't think it was because she was reassured. I think it was because
she was grateful at Naruto's thoughtfulness--since she was waiting for him because unlike Naruto she didn't trust Sasuke at all (good girl, you're learning he's not emotionally capable of differing between right and wrong, even if Orochimaru is a terrorist).
And give Sasuke a break too. What thirteen year old boy knows how to react to stalking overly emotional girls? Normal ones would be "isn't this a bit fast?" or be "derrrrrr." These are boys, not Harlequinn novel dreamboats.
One Moment More by Mindy SmithTell me that someday you’ll be returningAnd maybe,Maybe I’ll believeMediafire song upload link"Naruto...I couldn't stop him! Please, please bring Sasuke-kun back!"
"...Once again...I didn't do...anything. I won't let this happen again. Next time I'll protect them both."
And even if it was hopeless, because of Naruto's encouragement, she's never going to give up. She'll fight for that day to make the decision of whether to "believe him."
TIMESKIP
Memories by EisleyI’m always wondering where you areI’m always wondering where you areNeed I say more?Cannonball (cover) by Vienna Tengthere’s still a little bit of your taste in my mouththere’s still a little bit of you laced with my doubtit’s still a little hard to say what's going onMediafire song uploadFor Sakura,
teammate = strength. This is proven many, many times. In the battle against Sasori (during which I would have wet my pants, but no,
she clings to the thought of them and kicks ass), she was willing to
make herself explode to capture Sasori and find Sasuke. EXPLODE. Do you Sakura-haters understand this word?
So Damned Beautiful by PoloroidOne day you will see me rise up againBut for now all I see is you, And you're so damned beautifulIt's that obsession. I'm glad Kishi had her run out because...it just...
my heart stopped with her, you know?
(And...Sasuke is one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen *cough cough* seriously, I thought the Itachi and Sasuke meeting would have started/ended with Itachi's death by a nosebleed)
Fuck was I by Jenny Owen YoungsLove grows in me like a tumor I've got more "give" than a barrel of hayAnd there's always a mess leftover Every time I hope this time I don't get burnedIf I didn't love you so much I think I might hate youIf we weren't such good friends I'd wish you were dead. Mediafire song upload linkSo the reunion doesn't go the way anyone wanted to. Again,
Sasuke flicks her off like she's an annoying fly, and I honestly believe that unlike with Naruto he meant to kill her, would have if not for Yamato, and felt nothing about it. And again, Sakura's the one to prop up Naruto. Because without Naruto she has no chance to save Sasuke, and...also sometimes...
She loves Naruto too and...I think she was crying partly because:
why does saving Sasuke have to go to this? Why does it have to mean Naruto becoming this? It shouldn't, life isn't fair, and I wanted to hug her so badly.
I had a feeling
her feelings have changed, that it was draining out of her when Naruto went completely berserk. She ran straight at a freaking four-tailed demon--despite that in this form Naruto could have defeated Orochimaru--screaming at him to stop,
that's enough I'll save Sasuke for you! Suddenly she's
so desperate to have some control protecting her loved one's lives she breaks what up until now has been a cement into her life. Sasuke was her weakness when she was young and in a sense, she and Naruto are trading places: Naruto's an emotional wreck and she's going to be the strong one.
Again, I have this weird feeling after actually seeing Sasuke again...she finally sees that ideal doll she wanted never existed. Now she has to save someone she never really knew,
but she's going to try her damned best anyway, which speaks volumes to me about Sakura's character...and how her love for Sasuke deepens and changes. Her capacity to try so hard to emotionally connect to someone is just...beautiful.
Much Too Long Now by The SoundsThere was a time when we had everything you know my weakness to push me aroundI got a call, nothing too serious Don't even know you but we're keeping in touchMediafire song upload linkWho she is,
is a ninja, and Sakura seems to have taken the responsibility of her teammates. Sai...he's really effed up, and Naruto...he's so wild. Sakura
literally ties them together with Kaka-sensei, Yamato. That's got to be a high for once.
Her hair had grown long again during the two years with Tsunade,
anyone notice that? And yet before Naruto comes home, she cuts it again. She grew it out in the first place because she heard Sasuke liked long hair, she cut it in the forest of Death because she didn't want to be useless again. My guess: something similar happened during those years: she grew it out in the half hope that Sasuke would come back, and it was her way of mourning for him. But, like when Tsunade finally starts teaching her, she's a ninja, and ninjas don't have time to screw around with fairy tales. So she cuts it again, I believe, as a renewal to never be useless. She has to be reminded, or she'll fall down again and never look after herself--never get Sasuke back--and she knows this.
Your Song by Kate WalshI regret saying I loved himBut he’s just so pretty, a picture so pretty to meHe dies, and he dies alone(I’ve fallen for someone elseAnd he loves me soHis eyes—blue as the skyA picture so pretty, and he is so pretty to me)Sometimes she thinks everything is completely out of her control. Sakura hates that, but really, it's just so very hard to love someone she doesn't understand, and just give in to someone who tries to understand her instead for once. It's times like this she thinks she could fall in love with Naruto, who lets her take care of him, and she can pretend that she isn't in love with Sasuke,
pretend that Naruto's not in love with him either. Just...pretend.
(It never works though)
(
It seems almost like she's the one pitying Naruto for not understanding how messed up Sasuke is, this time around)
See You When You’re 40 by DidoYou think you're so complicated, deep mystery to allBut you’re just a boy, not a manYou think misery will make you stand apart from the crowdBut if I walked past you today, I wouldn’t have picked you out. She -is- disappointed in him, if she's not that rather cheapening her emotional depth/love. And rather, SakuraxSasuke shippers, by her not being disappointed would point further to someone who doesn't belong with Sasuke: spend thirty years of disappointment with someone and then ask for sacrifice, the saying goes, well, she's got three years of disappointment with him, six months (maybe) she was with him, and only a few moments she saw inside his head. And you can't deny what she saw didn't freak her out and hurt her, she's been hurt very badly by him in a way different from Naruto.
Now she heard three years ago Sasuke nearly killed Naruto, and now he plays with him in front of her. Naruto means a lot to her too, I bet she'd like to whack Sasuke through a few walls; she's
angry at Sasuke for being who he is, angry at him for being human enough to be hurt and manipulated, angry at him for taking Naruto's confidence and taking him from her, angry at him for still not being evil enough for her to hate him, and at the same time...
Just...pray, pray so very hard that he'll be safe while she tries to be strong enough to protect and help him for once. Again (because she always fails and that kills her).
(She always changes her mind when she thinks she's had it and she's going to leave.)
Another Song About the Darkness by Lauren HoffmanI wish I could have been the light to lead you homeBut all I can do here is write another fucking song about the darknessand hope you're not aloneAgain, this is the thing about Sakura:
she has a heart to love. Selectively yes, she's not like Naruto and can stuff everybody in it and find a place, but she tries so very hard and when she does care for someone she does it like everyone in the series does: without limit. Chiyo, Sai, it's almost unfair she has so few people outside of Naruto, who outshines her, but these two are large examples of her emotionally connecting to someone for who they are. If Sakura and Sasuke ever happen, this is going to be vital for Sakura to prove she can love him and still have a personality without him around, and she is!
Let's just not look at the
Trainwreck Sasuke is Mine Naruto right now. xD
The Bolder Thing To Do by Gregory and the Hawk The frustration I see when I tell you I'd like some company breaks my heart How can you be so impartial? And I've made myself the fool who's fallen for you It'd be better to forget you but I don't really want to
(Mediafire song upload link)
These are moments where Sakura means so much to me, she saves Sasuke not as a boyfriend, but a human being with Naruto and
a determination that hits me more than any number of Kyuubi tails.
Sakura isn't very good with connecting emotionally to people, and she deals with it by sliding them into little categories to help herself out. But they don't always want to be there: Naruto doesn't want to be just her friend, Sai doesn't want to be her enemy, Yamato doesn't want to be far away, Kakashi does not want to be her father, Tsunade is not one for mother-hugs, and Sasuke does not want to be her boyfriend.
God. Someone give this girl a hug please!
Almost Lover by A Fine FrenzyGoodbye my silly little dream
Mediafire song upload linkWhether I support it or not is not the point: the focus is that Sakura has a great, beautiful capacity to love, and it's that love for Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Chiyo..these bonds are the force that drives her forward. I despise Sakura-bashers; not only are you putting down one of Naruto's important people, you're killing a symbol: Sakura and Lee are archetypes for weakness and overcoming it. Both recognize they aren't strong enough to protect the people they care about, and both are willing to die in the attempt to correct it. If that's not courage, I don't know what is. :/ Even Naruto and Neji draw from that.
She says goodbye to a dream prince, and goes chasing after the scared little boy in hell.
Bonus:
What If by Kate WinsletIf you'd stayed, if you'd tried--If we could only turn back time!...But I guess we'll never knowMediafire song upload linkSakura's world is plagued with "what if"s. If she hadn't sacrificed her friendship with Ino, if she had tried to understand Naruto sooner, most of all if Sasuke had been different, and in there is the problem because of what that suggests, and why I could never ship this pairing.
But
her deepest wish isn't for herself actually, it goes deeper: beyond her more younger, selfish love: she wants so badly a "what if" where Sasuke hadn't been hurt. Sakura's capacity to love is very beautiful, once she is able to connect to someone. Even now while she still fails to understand his loneliness, she blames herself for not being able to protect him from it. She's a wonderful person in that Sasuke could have been anyone and she'd still wish she could have somehow done something to stop the massacre so Sasuke could have woken up to his mother one more time. *angsts in a corner* I can't imagine what it must have been like for her to be left behind in Konoha those two years. Training her ass off and becoming awesome with Tsunade, yes, but being near those records of the massacre, of Sasuke's family? Or walking by Naruto and Sasuke's apartments knowing no one was there? Or the Uchiha compound? She really got the short end of the stick. And now she's the one who will probably have to catch Naruto while he's drowning in his obsession with Sasuke, to the point he becomes a monster. God forbid Sasuke die, and Naruto lose his soul entirely. :/ Weak little Sakura could probably be the one to give those poor boys--finally--a happy ending and save them all from their separate lonelinesses (lonelinessi? lol) forever.
The whole zip (sendspace, all mp3):
I hope you enjoy listening! Please comment if you take or if there's any bugs I need to work out, I don't mind uploading separate tracks you request if you have a majority. :)
A/N: Seriously Sasuke, what's the matter with you? I'd tap that. :D Conclusion: Why yes, I understand shipping a little more now after making this. It's just my lame meta, but I see why it could be appealing. ;)
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chuunin an hour ago, saw a chapter came out, and read it. AND IT WAS AMAZING.
bored
full
artistic
